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Atlanta Braves Scouting Report on LHP Kyle Muller

By Benjamin Chase

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 03: The glove, batting gloves, and bat of Matt Lipka #86 of the Atlanta Braves it on the field before the game against the New York Mets on March, 3 2014 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 03: The glove, batting gloves, and bat of Matt Lipka #86 of the Atlanta Braves it on the field before the game against the New York Mets on March, 3 2014 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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Scouting Report

Size/Delivery/Control

Size – Muller has filled out into his frame, standing a full 6’6″ tall and listed at 225 pounds. I’d wager the weight is on the mark, if maybe 5-15 pounds on the light side, though it’s not bad weight that he’s put on since his high school years.

Delivery – Muller has a pretty simple delivery, starting off set to the plate, then bringing his knee up just below his chest before kicking toward the plate.

Muller’s biggest inconsistency in his delivery is at his hips. He will often lean forward toward first base before coming tall and toward the plate. Other times he stays tall throughout the delivery.

When he stays tall throughout, he has more consistent arm swing and ends up high 3/4 to almost over the top with his arm slot, which is a huge advantage from his height. When he bends, he can vary from a high 3/4 slot to a typical 3/4 slot.

Control (45) – One typical issue with guys over 6’4″ is keeping their body consistent for control, and for Muller, that’s an issue as well, but it’s not the same way as most. Typically taller guys struggle with their long arms and legs getting out of sync in their delivery, and Muller doesn’t seem to have that same issue.

The bend at the waist for Muller is inconsistent, and that leads to an inconsistent arm slot. When he’s more consistent in his actions at his midsection, he can be dominant as he has a stable arm slot and can flash plus control and command.

Pitches

Fastball (60) – Coming out of high school, Muller was considered projectable due to his excellent frame, but he was only working in the upper-80s with his fastball, flashing better velocity, but unable to hold it. He’s now able to hold mid-90s velocity deep into games with excellent late movement on his fastball, touching 96-97.

Change Up (45) – By far, the pitch that needs the most work in Muller’s arsenal is his change. He has the potential for an excellent change, but at this point, he really uses it as a definite fourth pitch. At his height and arm slot, he could be a candidate to change to a split-change as his primary changeup.

Curve Ball (50) – Muller has really done well developing the shape of his curveball, but he needs to work on developing the accuracy and consistency of the pitch. The pitch works in the mid-70s with a 12-6 loop. Muller can locate the pitch up and down within the center of the plate, but when attempting to work to either side of the plate, he struggles with locating the pitch.

Slider (60) – The slider from Muller seems to have the ability to be manipulated. He flashed a sweeping slider that tends to work 82-84, and then his primary slider works with a short break that is 83-86 with a late, sharp break. Muller is able to control the pitch well, firing the ball with excellent location, often using just his fastball and slider to work through a lineup as much as two times through a lineup.

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